Reflection: More women and girls consider abortion than we may realize. They are our relatives and friends, people who work with us or for us, married or unmarried. Even if someone identifies as being pro-life, the shock of an unexpected pregnancy, the devastation of a difficult prenatal diagnosis, shame, pressures, or fears may influence her to consider abortion.

If someone shared with you she was pregnant and hadn’t ruled out having an abortion, would you know how to respond in a loving way that is life-affirming for both her and her baby?

Learn about the four steps of the L.O.V.E. Approach™*: Listen and Learn, Open Options, Vision and Value, and Extend and Empower (www.usccb.org/l-o-v-e).

Acts of Reparation (choose one):

Go to an abortion clinic and pray, or set aside an hour today to pray for those who are struggling with a decision of life or death for their unborn child.

Read “What to Do When a Friend Is Considering Abortion” (www.usccb.org/l-o-v-e), and spend some time reflecting on it. Would someone in a difficult pregnancy situation know she could turn to you for loving support?

One Step Further: Find out other simple tips on how to provide loving, life-affirming support for a friend who is unexpectedly pregnant: “10 Ways to Support Her When She’s Unexpectedly Expecting” (www.usccb.org/support-her).

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sailaway from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ~ Mark Twain